Relfydess: A New Era in Wrinkle Treatment?

At McKeown Medical, we were one of the first UK clinics to introduce Relfydess into clinical practice. However, we wanted to understand how the drug performs and what our patients actually think of it in the real world. Without sounding too cynical, drug companies can usually get clinical trials to say what they want them to and so we wanted to understand what our patients think of it. In the first two weeks of its release, we treated 97 patients using this new toxin. A couple of weeks later we sent a survey to all of them and 51 of them replied. These are the results.

How quickly did Relfydess kick in?

The patients we treated in the first couple of weeks were predominantly patients who had complained of poor results with their previous toxin. Patients were asked to compare the time it took for Relfydess to begin working versus their previous treatments. The responses revealed:

• A significant number of patients reported that Relfydess kicked in faster than their usual toxin (37 patients, 74%).
• Others stated the onset was about the same as previous products (9 patients, 18%).
• Only a small minority felt that onset was slower (4 patients, 8%).

This suggests that Relfydess performs at least as quickly — and often faster — than established toxins in most patients.

A bit issue around Reflydess is that the injections appear to be more painful than regular toxins.

• Most patients felt that the injections were more painful compared to previous treatments (42 patients, 82%).

Was the extra pain worth it?

For the patients who felt it was more painful we then asked if they thought the enhanced results are worth the additional discomfort?

The majority (42 patients, 88%) said that the additional discomfort was worth it for the better results they have experienced.

All of these patients were treated in the first two weeks we had the product. Since then we’ve been adding a small amount of local anaesthetic, which seems to be making the treatment more comfortable. We will audit those results and update on you on that soon!

And perhaps the most important question of all – will they continue to use Relfydess going forward, or would they prefer to go back to their previous toxin?

• The vast majority (90%) said they would continue with Relfydess.
• A small number preferred to return to their previous toxin, often due to personal preference for the “look” achieved or individual treatment goals.

It is still too early for us to comment on the longevity of the new product and how that compares, but in terms of early results our patients seem to be impressed with the new product.

Relfydess appears to offer a real advantage for a specific subset of patients — particularly those who previously reported diminished results from classic botulinum toxins.

However, it’s worth noting that many of the patients who opted to try Relfydess did so because they were dissatisfied with their outcomes from traditional products. This may skew the overall perception in favour of Relfydess, as these patients had a lower baseline of satisfaction. In individuals who already get excellent results from Botox or similar products, the difference may be less pronounced.

A growing concern among long-term users of botulinum toxin is a phenomenon often referred to as “resistance.” While true immunity — where there is no response at all — is very rare, a larger proportion of patients develop partial resistance, where the treatment still works but becomes less effective over time.

In our experience:

• Patients who feel they are becoming resistant to traditional toxins have shown notably better outcomes with Relfydess.
• This may be due to differences in the molecular structure or formulation that helps bypass partial neutralisation by the immune system.

However, for the very small number of patients with true immunity (i.e. no effect at all from Botox or similar toxins), we have now treated three such patients with Relfydess, and none of them responded. This suggests that Relfydess may not be effective in cases of complete immunological resistance to botulinum toxin.

Relfydess is an exciting new addition to the aesthetic toolbox. Early results from our patients indicate it may:

• Deliver results more quickly
• Improve outcomes for patients with poor responses to other toxins
• Offer a promising option for those experiencing diminishing returns from their usual brand

However, for those who already do well with established toxins, the benefits may be less obvious. And for patients with complete immunity to botulinum toxin, Relfydess does not appear to overcome this barrier.

If you’ve found that your usual wrinkle treatment isn’t giving you the same results, or you’re curious about whether Relfydess could be a better fit — we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to book a consultation and find out if this next-generation treatment is right for you.

Call us n 0141 370 0509 or start your consultation.